The federal government ended its evidence Friday in the death-penalty hearing of high-ranking Gangster Disciple leader Darryl "Pops" Johnson with emotional testimony from the mother of one of the victims whose murder Johnson was convicted of ordering. In an attempt to maintain her composure, Cynthia Johnson decided to read from a three-page letter she wrote last year about her son, Darryl "Blunt" Johnson, who was shot in the back of the head as he bent over to tie his shoes...

The federal government ended its evidence Friday in the death-penalty hearing of high-ranking Gangster Disciple leader Darryl "Pops" Johnson with emotional testimony from the mother of one of the victims whose murder Johnson was convicted of ordering. In an attempt to maintain her composure, Cynthia Johnson decided to read from a three-page letter she wrote last year about her son, Darryl "Blunt" Johnson, who was shot in the back of the head as he bent over to tie his shoes...

Glen H. Johnson, of DeKalb, and Karen Lyons, of Elmhurst, announce the engagement of their daughter, Cynthia Marie Johnson, to Benjamin David Chereskin, a son of Alvin and Susan Chereskin, of New York, N.Y., and Easthampton, Long Island, N.Y. The future bride, a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, is a midwest regional account manager for Clarins USA, a cosmetics corporation. Her father is an employee of John E. Miller Masonry, DeKalb. Her mother is a residential...

Glen H. Johnson, of DeKalb, and Karen Lyons, of Elmhurst, announce the engagement of their daughter, Cynthia Marie Johnson, to Benjamin David Chereskin, a son of Alvin and Susan Chereskin, of New York, N.Y., and Easthampton, Long Island, N.Y. The future bride, a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, is a midwest regional account manager for Clarins USA, a cosmetics corporation. Her father is an employee of John E. Miller Masonry, DeKalb. Her mother is a residential...

Two women were charged Sunday with theft from the Big Kmart store at 21000 Cicero Ave. Police said Dejuana Bulloch, 35, of the 4200 block of Lindenwood Drive, Matteson, and Cynthia Johnson, 40, of the 1000 block of 103rd Place, Chicago, each took a VCR from a store display and allegedly left without paying for them.

Police Monday arrested five women in connection with a fight at Lincoln Mall. Police said they charged Cynthia Johnson, 18, of 6351 Hamilton Ave., Chicago; LaWanda M. Burnett, 23, of 1121 Clade Court, Chicago Heights, and Yvette Smith, 22, of 1524 Howe St., Chicago Heights, with battery and mob action. Police said they also arrested two juveniles. Police said a juvenile girl pulled a handgun on the others, and after police disarmed her, the other four started punching her....